Can’t Keep Me Down: Rollins Band
In April 1987, Henry Rollins got a phone call from Greg Ginn telling him that Black Flag was over. Years of internal tensions and relentless touring had finally caught up with the band. So for the first time since the summer of 1981, Henry was a free man. He did some spoken word shows, and was back touring and recording by April of 1987 with a new band. And he hasn’t really sat down since. Henry is celebrating his 50th birthday in a few weeks and is still touring the world doing his spoken word shows. This top ten is all about Henry’s music after Black Flag, as a solo artist and with the various incarnations of his Rollins Band.
Rollins Band – Life Time (2.13.61 Records)
Proper debut LP, produced by Ian Mackaye. Abrasive and confrontational, this is the truest representation of what Rollins is capable of as a song writer and as a singer. He has explored desperation and solitude before this and after this, but what makes this collection so pure is the backing band. This was the lineup to end all lineups – Simeon Cain and Andrew Weiss from Gone along with Chris Haskett.
Henry Rollins – Hot Animal Machine (2.13.61 Records)
Unbelievable LP recorded in England during October 1986, which was after the last Black Flag show, but before the official break up. Henry’s vocals sound vibrant and focused, and the band is made up of friends from DC, including Bernie Wandel (Nuclear Crayons) Chris Haskett (Iron Cross). What I like about this record is the natural flow of insanity that develops as you listen. Cover art drawn by Mark Mothersbaugh of Devo.
Rollins Band – Insert Band Here: Live In Australia 1990 (Snapper Music)
Hour long set from May of 1990, recorded at Triple J FM, a radio station in Sydney Australia. Rollins approach is so direct that it can offend people, a fact which is forever preserved inside of a 14 minute version of “Out There” that appears on this record.
Henrietta Collins And The Wifebeating Childhaters – Drive By Shooting (2.13.61 Records)
I’m putting this record high on my list for several reasons. First and foremost is the Wire cover and the title track, which is probably the most fun you’ll ever hear Rollins have on record. He’s not exactly known for his sense of humor. “Can You Speak This” is an amazingly tight jam, one that never gets old. The other five songs on here are something of a mixed bag, similar to the kind of musical spoken word pieces that appear on Family Man.
Rollins Band – The End of Silence (Imago)
Their major label debut, but don’t let that sway you, this is a really rewarding record. When the video for “Low Self Opinion” was in steady rotation on MTV’s 120 Minutes, you couldn’t help but be sucked in to the fever. And naturally it polarized a lot of his audience, but that’s never seemed to bother him. Henry used his minor celebrity status as a weapon against a generation of kids who thought that Better Than Ezra were speaking directly to them. How can anyone fault him for that? This record looks exactly like it sounds – massive. Not to mention that it sounds like god himself engineered it.
Rollins Band – Hard Volume (2.13.61 Records)
Studio album, recorded in December 1988 in Los Angeles. Has a slightly different feel than the other records, much looser and much more expansive in terms of sound. This batch of songs seem closer to In My Head than Life Time to me, probably because of the experimental nature of songs like “Love Song”, “Turned Inside Out” and “Planet Joe”. Not for casual listening.
Rollins Band – Weighting (2.13.61 Records)
Compilation released in 2003 on Henry’s label. Includes three studio recordings from the Weight sessions in 1993 and 1994, and five live songs from the Weight tour. What really makes this record special is that it includes four great songs they recorded with free jazz saxophonist Charles Gayle.
Rollins Band – Do It (2.13.61 Records)
Three songs from the Life Time sessions (which are now included with that record) and twelve live songs from the fall 1987 tour of Europe. Rollins Band was always more of a a live band more than a studio band, and these shows prove it.
Henry Rollins And The Hard-Ons – Let There Be Rock (Vinyl Solution)
Four song double ten inch record released in 1990. Has a great spoken word piece called “I Know You” which he later re-recorded for his Black Coffee Blues spoken word collection. Also has two great covers, Let There Be Rock (AC-DC) and Earache my Eye (Cheech and Chong). Two of these songs were also released as a 7” through the Sub Pop singles club in 1990.
The Flaming Lips – Dark Side of The Moon (WEA/Reprise)
In 2009, the Flaming Lips re-recorded the entire Dark Side of The Moon suite with help from Peaches and Henry Rollins. On “The Great Gig In The Sky”, Henry recreates the cryptic interview samples recorded with a member of Pink Floyd’s road crew.
